宋高僧傳 13.5

13.5

釋法普，姓潘氏，廬江人也。貌古情寬，擁敗納觀方。元和中，因見黃崗山色奇秀，其峯巉崒，其林欝密，中有石壇，平坦而高峙。乃放囊挂錫，于中班荊。久之，尋附樹架蓬茨，僅容身而已。未幾，有人自小徑而至，見普驚怪，問云：「何緣至此？」曰：「某本行山麓，見巔頂騰漲紫氣，盤紆可愛，意此山有尤物，故來耳。」諦視普，遲迴而去。山下行者聞而尋焉。禪學之徒，不數年遽盈百數。普却之曰：「老僧獨居，無物利人，君等亦無所乏。」由是星居之庵多矣。弟子廣嚴等構成大院，禪客翕如，傳其法者無算。一日，集眾辭云：「吾其終矣。汝曹善住珍惜！」加趺坐胡床而卒。其身不壞散，後以香泥塗繢之。至乾符中，重立碑頌云。次洛京華嚴寺釋休靜，不知何許人也。屬洞山禪道風行，靜往造之，抉擿所疑，若雷復于本位焉。北返於洛邑，開演。因赴內齋，諸名公皆執經諷讀，唯靜并其徒俱默坐。帝宣問：「胡不轉經？」詶答響應，仍皆屬對，悅可帝情。尋迴平陽示滅。收舍利，四處樹浮圖。勅諡寶智大師，塔號無為也。

Śramaṇa Fapu, whose secular surname was Pan, was a native of Lujiang. His appearance was ancient and his spirit broad; wrapping himself in tattered patched robes, he observed all quarters. During the Yuanhe era, seeing the exceptional beauty of Mount Huanggang, its steep and jagged peaks, and its luxuriant, dense forests, with a flat and lofty stone terrace in their midst, he set down his bag and hung up his staff, spreading rushes to sit among them. After a long while, he constructed a thatch-roofed hut leaning against a tree, just large enough to shelter his body. Before long, someone arrived via a small trail and, seeing Pu, was astonished and asked: 'For what reason did you come here?' He replied: 'I was walking at the foot of the mountain and saw purple mist soaring above the peak, winding delightfully, and thought that this mountain must contain something extraordinary; that is why I came.' Staring closely at Pu, he hesitated and then left. Practitioners at the foot of the mountain heard of it and sought him out. Within a few years, students of Chan suddenly numbered more than a hundred. Pu turned them away, saying: 'This old monk lives alone and has nothing to benefit others; nor do you gentlemen lack anything.' Consequently, there were many hermitages scattered like stars. His disciple Guangyan and others constructed a grand cloister; Chan guests gathered like birds, and those who transmitted his Dharma were countless. One day, he gathered the assembly and took leave, saying: 'My end has come. You all must abide well and take care!' Sitting cross-legged on a rope-chair, he passed away. His body did not decay or decompose, and later they lacquered it with fragrant clay. During the Qianfu era, they re-erected a stele and eulogy for him. Next is Śramaṇa Xiujing of Huayan Temple in the capital of Luoyang, whose origin is unknown. At the time when the Chan style of Dongshan was flourishing, Jing went to call upon him, resolving his doubts so that it was like thunder returning to its original position. He returned north to Luoyi to expound the Dharma. Once, while attending a feast in the imperial palace, all the celebrated dignitaries held scriptures and chanted aloud, but Jing and his disciples sat in silence. The emperor issued an inquiry: 'Why do you not recite the scriptures?' His response came like an echo, all in couplets, delighting the imperial mind. Soon after, he returned to Pingyang and manifested passing away. His relics were collected, and stupas were erected in four places. An imperial decree conferred the posthumous title Grand Master Baozhi, and his pagoda was named Wuwei.